Satchel Paige first pitched in the Negro Leagues in 1926 and would make his major league debut with Cleveland in 1948 at the ripe age of 41... maybe. Paige threw his last major league pitch in 1965 for the Athletics. It was his first big league appearance since 1953. His 40+ year professional career concluded in the minors in 1966 and he was the inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.

Seemingly a universal favorite and a card that tops the want list of many collectors, the 1953 Topps issue of Satchel Paige features a beautiful portrait image, depicting the wise pitcher grinning against a sky blue backdrop. The illustrations of 1953 Topps cards make them, in our opinion, the most attractive of all the Topps issues. This is a beautiful low grade example with soft corners and edge chipping consistent with the grade. A wrinkle in the bottom right corner helps explain the card's technical grade, as does its centering, which is south and east on the canvas. A slight overlap on the top of the red nameplate box suggests an issue with the printing registration, but this card still has tremendous eye appeal on both sides.